1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods for converting 2D images to stereoscopic 3D images and to the modification of stereoscopic 3D images.
2. Description of Related Art and Scope of Invention
See the comparable sections of applicant Geshwind's prior issued patents (in particular, U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,573 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,661,463) for a discussion of relevant related art.
Practitioners of the instant invention are computer scientists, engineers and/or filmmakers with a high degree of technical training and are fully familiar with methods and systems that perform: image capture (film and video cameras and recording devices); image digitization; image processing (by both digital and film methods); digital image synthesis and computer graphics; image compositing; image output, display and recording; etc. In particular, these include digital image processing systems of high performance and high resolution employing digital signal processing hardware and frame stores, stereoscopic cameras of all (and, in particular large-screen) formats, stereoscopic 3D image rendering and 2D to stereoscopic 3D image conversion (hereinafter “2D to 3D conversion”).
The intended practitioner of the present invention is someone who is skilled in designing, implementing, building, integrating and operating systems to perform these functions; and, in particular, is capable of taking such systems and integrating new image processing algorithms into the operation of an otherwise extant system.
Many of the technical elements disclosed herein are standard and well known methods or devices. The details of building and operating such standard systems, and accomplishing such standard tasks, are well known and within the ken of those skilled in those arts; are not (in and of themselves, except where noted) within the scope of the instant invention; and, if mentioned at all, will be referred to but not described in detail in the instant disclosure.
Rather, what will be disclosed are novel techniques, algorithms and systems, and novel combinations thereof, optionally also incorporating extant techniques, algorithms and systems. The results are novel single or composite techniques, algorithms and systems and/or novel purposes to which they are applied and/or novel results thereby achieved.
In summary, the disclosure of the instant invention will focus on what is new and novel and will not repeat the details of what is known in the art.